A Different Day
by Dragonstar234
Summary: I could say it was a day like any other, but that would not be the truth. In reality, I knew something was different the moment the sun broke through the splintering pieces of wood that desperately tried to cover my window. Once the sun was high in the sky, a roar thundered across the land. That was when I knew my instincts were correct. Today was going to be different. Rated M
1. Chapter 1

I could say it was a day like any other, but that would not be the truth. In reality, I knew something was different the moment the sun broke through the splintering pieces of wood that desperately tried to cover my window. As the sun was rising in the sky, I couldn't place a finger on what distressed me so. But once the sun was high in the sky, a roar thundered across the lands, and I knew my instincts were correct. Today was going to be different.

* * *

"Mother! Mother!" I called down from my room. "Mother! Please bring me the ladder! Let me out! I must see this!" I waited for a moment, pressing my ear to the floor, but I heard nothing. "Mother! I really want to come out! Is it okay if I do?" I waited again. Still no response.

Giving up on waiting, I pulled on a small metal ring secured into the wooden floor. A decent sized chunk of wood came up out of the floorboards, revealing a hole in my floor through which I could see the room in where my mother slept. My mother told me that my father once slept in this room with her, but he left once he found out I was created. He told my mother that I would be an abomination and that I should be killed. But my mother loved me and kept me anyway. Although, she does keep me boarded up in my room. But she says it is for my own good. She tells me it would not be good if someone found out I existed.

I jumped from the hole in my floor and landed on all fours on the floor of my mother's room. I thanked my father's genes, for I always landed on my feet because of him. This was when being part Khajiit had its benefits.

I stood up and was still for a few moments. I didn't know what I was waiting for, but I did know I was waiting for something. Suddenly another roar echoed out through the town, much louder than before. Then, new sounds that I had never really heard before started to flood the two cat-like ears poking out of the top of my head. Screams. Wood splintering in half. More roars. Things burning. Something _shouted _in another language. Could this possibly be what I read about in all my books? Could this actually be a _dragon_ attacking?

I pushed on my mother's door, letting it swing open with a creak. Light immediately flooded in. I hissed, pressing my ears tight against my head, and sheltered my eyes with my hand. I was only ever let out of my room when it was dark, and the only light I was use to seeing was the little that came through my boarded up window.

I slowly lowered my hand, letting my eyes adjust to the light. It hurt them quite a bit, but after a few moments, I was able to ignore the stabbing pain. I took a step out of my mother's room and looked around. The house seemed so much different with the sunlight. It almost seemed more welcoming.

I peaked around ever corner of the house, searching for my mother, but she was no where to be found.

I could still hear the chaotic sounds coming from outside, and soon my curiosity got the best of me. I pushed open the front door and all those sounds I heard before hit me even harder. It was almost too much. I didn't even know what to do. Roofs were up in flames. Woman were sheltering their children in there arms. The weak were running. And a few men lay dead, brutally ripped apart. One man, that was only a stones throw away from where I was standing, was completely missing his lower half. His body ended at his torso with a bloody rip, leaving his intestines trailing down where his legs should have been. I grimaced and was about to look away when I saw his eyes roll up and meet my. Oh gods, he was still alive.

I put my hand to my mouth and turned away, feeling my stomach acid rise in my throat. I completely forgot the feeling though, when a massive gray figure landed down on the roof of the house across from me. The only thing I could compare it too would be the pictures of dragons that were in my books. But in my books, those dragons seemed so much smaller. They were only drawings on a page after all, and it was stated everywhere that they were extinct.

But here I was, face to face with one. It was nearly the size of the house that was underneath it, maybe even larger. It's scales were larger than my head, and reflected the sun in a way that made them seem like they were glowing. Its jaw was blood splattered along with its talons that were digging into the thatched roof of the home. Arrows were lodged into its scales all over its body, but they all seemed like they didn't do any damage at the time they were shot.

The dragon roosted at the edge of the roof and leaned its head down so it was on the same level as mine. Its head was nearly the size of my whole room, making me feel dwarfed next to it. I pressed myself against the door, frantically searching for the handle to let myself in. The dragon opened its mouth, letting out a low growl and a smell of death. Its teeth were stained yellow and red, and _pieces_ of warriors brave enough to try to fight it were caught in them. There was an arm, still gripping a bow, punctured on one of its front teeth.

I closed one eye and moved my head to the side, trying to avoid the grisly sight. I felt something deep in the pit of my stomach. I was going to die here. I was going to be eaten by something I didn't even know existed. I felt all the muscles in my body tighten and my heart speed up. This was what I read about. The fight or flight response. But I really didn't have a choice for either one here. I couldn't run away, this thing would catch me in a second. And I wouldn't be able to try to punch a dragon in the face. If anything, that would get me eaten sooner.

"FUS RO DAH!" A force seemed to travel with those words, hitting the dragon and making it stagger to the side. The dragon lifted its head like an alert dog. To my right, there was a man, completely shrouded in robes. He drew a sword and signaled to the dragon with his left hand. "Come at me, dragon," he said. Even though I couldn't see this man's face, I knew there was some sort of cocky smile on it.

The dragon took flight with one beat of its massive wings. The cloaked man took off in the other direction. I realized that this man wasn't running from the dragon, he was leading it away from the city. He was rescuing everyone here.

I felt all the muscles in my body relax. I fell to my knees and let out a long sigh. I hadn't even realized I was holding my breath. I felt my body shake as I recalled everything that happened. I was so close to death, so close to loosing everything. And that man, he not only saved me, but every person still alive in Whiterun. I…I had to find this man and thank him.

"Azalengo De Felici!" I recognized that voice. It belonged to my mother. I only had enough time to turn and see her running up to me before a cloth was thrown over my head. "What are you doing out here Azalengo?!" My mother's voice hissed at me though the cloth. "You aren't even wearing your robes, you fool! What would people say if they saw you!?" My mother's strong hands pushed me in through the door and led me further into the back part of the house. She finally removed the cloth from my head when we were far enough into the house.

"I'm sorry mother," I said. My ears hung and my tail drooped. "I was only curious."

"Not only could someone have seen you, but you could have also been eaten! You seem to be getting more foolish as you age Azalengo!"

My mother continued to yell at me, but my sights began to drift elsewhere. Through the window, I could see people beginning to repair and clean up the town. White sheets were thrown over the dead before they were taken away on a cart to be buried. Buckets were filled with water and thrown onto any fire that was still alive. It was a terrible scene. But it could have been worse. That hooded man saved us all…

"Azalengo! Are you even listening to me!?" Mother's voice raised an octave, showing that she was really loosing her temper.

"Of course mother," I responded, pinning my ears back. There were times when her shrill voice was too much for my acute hearing.

"Then get back up in your room! I don't want to see any part of you for the rest of the day!" Mother pointed a finger over towards her room.

"Yes mother," I said sadly, letting my head hand as I walked back to my mother's room. I brought the ladder that was against her wall and lined it up with the hole in the ceiling. When I finally pulled myself up into my room I heard my mother's voice once again.

"I mean it Azalengo! You stay up there!"

"Yes mother," I shouted down through my floor. I loved my mother, I really did. After all, she was only trying to protect me from the harsh outside world. But sometimes she was just a little too overbearing. I just wanted to experience what normal children did. After all, I am already eighteen, and have spent most of those years cooped up. Did mother know for sure that people would shun me if they saw me? What if they just accepted me? Would that mean that all these years pent up were for nothing?

I needed a way out, desperately wanted one in fact. One reason was simply because I wanted freedom. But the other reason…I wanted to meet this man in robes. A man knows how to fight dragons. A man who adventures. A man who can defend himself. Maybe I could get him to train me. Then, I could go out and actually live for once. Then, I would be free.

That night, I dreamt of roaming the lands and defending villagers from dragons and other wild beasts.

* * *

**Whew. Glad to finally get that finished. I have been wanting to write a Skyrim story for awhile, I just never knew how to start it. I always wanted to do it from the Dragonborn's perspective, but I decided that would be too boring. So I came up with this! I probably won't be able to update this as much as I want to, but I will be sure to do it at least once a month! **

**Reviews are always enjoyed ^-^ Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

I had to wait a day or so for my mother to regain trust in me. She refused to leave the house for the time before that for she thought I would sneak out again. I did my best to listen to her rules, but like all mothers, she was going to be suspicious no matter what I did.

My mother finally left the house some days after the dragon attack. "Azalengo, I'm going to speak to the Jarl. Do not get into trouble," she called up to me from the ground floor of the house.

"Yes mother!" I replied back to her. Although, trouble was the exactly what I had in mind.

I heard the door open with a creak and then slam shut. I waited, then ran to my window and pressed my eye to the crack in the boards. I was just in time to see my mother walking along the cobble stone path, lit by torches, in front of our home. It was time.

I pulled up on the floorboards of my room and jumped down through the hole into my mother's. I pushed open my mother's door and stepped just past the doorway. The house was dead silent, an exact opposite of what it was last time I was down here. The sun was long gone and moon light streaked into the windows and lit up sections of the wooden floor.

I walked towards the door leading out of the house and set my hand upon the doorknob. I thought for a minute, then looked to my right. Hanging on a nail sticking farther out on the wall, were my robes. It couldn't hurt to be safe.

I quickly snatched my robe and threw it over me. I craned my neck so I could look down my back. It seemed I had grown a little since the last time I wore my robes. A lower portion of my tail hung out below the hemline of my them, swaying a little. I wasn't going to let that stop me. As long as I stayed away from any source of light, people were likely to not see.

I brought my hood up over my head then threw open the door.

There was a small bite in the air, which happened to be typical for the nights of the fall season. Puddles were littered among the cobble stone paths, filling every hole and crack. That was right, it had rained the day before and earlier today. That seemed to be a good thing, for it washed the blood from the dirt and paths. Though, it didn't seem to get rid of all the blood. A few of the stagnant puddles seemed to be tainted red.

I shuddered, recalling the terrors of that day. I tried to push those black thoughts from my mind, lifting a hand up to the bottom of my hood and pulling on it as to keep it tighter around my head and keep the chill off my skin.

I had a faint idea where to start looking for the strange hooded hero. There was a inn not too far from my house named The Branded Mare. If this man were to still be in this town, that was where he would be.

I descended the small set of stone stairs the lead from the front of our home to the main path that led though the city. They were sided with dirt and a variation of different small plants, most of which were a shade of brown or orange, going into to hibernation for the coming winter. Such a depressing season winter was. The plants died, the animals hid, and people stayed in their homes desperately trying to stay warm.

I walked along the main path, staying in the middle as to keep away from the torches that lit it. I didn't want to risk people seeing me, even if there were few if any out at this time. My mother had it ingrained in my head that I always needed to stay hidden. She always told me people would think I was an abomination for being half Nord half Khajiit.

In the center of the town was a cobblestone well, only a few feet in height, but it dropped down a great distance. Circling around it were the major shops of the town. A produce stand, a meat stand, a potions shop, a general goods store, and lastly, The Branded Mare. The path around the well branched off in three different directions; one way leading back to my home and more like it, one leading to a different section of the town, and one going north, leading to the first few steps on the way to Dragonsreach.

I slowly walked up the steps to The Branded Mare. It was a decent sized building that was covered with patterns in the wood it was made out of. There was a lack of windows, but this was most likely for privacy for the people renting rooms. There was a sign hanging at the top of the steps with the words 'Branded Mare' engraved on the wood. Underneath the words was a man riding a horse. A cape flowed out behind him heroically and the horse was rearing up, the perfect image of a hero. I imagined that this was what the hooded man was like. Riding his trusty steed across all of Skyrim, bringing peace to the land and saving those who needed it. A small smile came across my lips at the thought. Oh the adventures that lucky man must have had.

I turned to face the door of the inn. Dragons danced on the wood of the door, twisting throughout the wood with their metal bodies. Two metal rings fell from two different dragon's claws, one on each side of the door. I was a little hesitant to open the door.

Before I could grab a hold of a ring, the doors flew open. I stumbled back and fell into the dirt on the side of the inn.

A strong voice boomed loudly, "And make sure to stay away from her, Mikeal!" A young man was thrown out of the doors and, stumbling down the small flight of stairs, fell into a puddle on the path. The inn's doors slammed shut with such force that I could have sworn the building itself shook.

I looked over at the man as he brought himself to his feet. A strong smell of meed came from him and I wrinkled my nose at the stench. He nearly fell over once he was up straight, but caught himself. He then turned to me. He was dressed in clothes that were dirty, probably even before his contact with the puddle, and extremely worn out. His hair was blonde, and longer than most men kept it. It was tangled and was dirtied so much in some spots it looked black.

The young man scoffed and turned around, wobbling a little as he did so, and started his trek back to wherever he lived.

I got up and looked at the door, gulping. If I wasn't nervous before, I was now. What if I were to be thrown out like this man? What if they would do that to me if they found out who I was?

I shook my head and reached for the door ring. Now was no time for questioning. If I stood back and just questioned life all the time, I would never have the adventures I dreamed of.

**Here you all go! I hope you enjoy :) These chapters always take a little longer to get out, but they are really fun to write. I hope you all enjoy them as much as I do.**


	3. Chapter 3

The inside of The Branded Mare was much more crowded than I ever expected it to be, especially at this hour. People were everywhere, filling most of the chairs, and some were even sat on the floor.

Wooden tables were scattered all over the floor, each surrounded with a few chairs and covered with food for any passerby's who might want a quick bite to eat. Many people occupied these seats; eating, drinking, or just talking to others to pass the time. There was a bar off to one side with a red headed Nord woman passing meed out to those who had the coin for it. There were three men sitting at the bar, each talking to the woman. She would just smile and nod her head as she handed out a drink to another. A bard was leaned up against a wall, casually strumming warm notes on a battered and old wooden lute.

There was a massive stone fire pit in the very middle of the floor, with a constant flame in the center, small enough to be controlled but large enough to warm the entire building. Benches were at either side of the pit. There was a woman sitting on one of the benches, but unlike the others around her, she was facing away from the fire. Her skin was very dark along with her hair, which was braided and pushed to the side. Her eyes were slanted and dark, unlike most of the people in here, but she was still very beautiful, even in the dim light.

Down on one knee in front of the woman, was the hooded hero I had been looking for. He held one of her hands in both of his and looked up at her with a face I could not see. The woman was talking to the man. She paused for a second then raised her free hand to her mouth and blushed.

I approached the two of them, shaking slightly from anticipation. I could hear them talking as I approached.

"Thank you again. There is nothing I can do to thank you for all you have done. Not only for me, but for this town." Her voice was as sweet as honey, matching her looks perfectly.

"Your thanks is all I need madam." The hooded hero kissed the hand he held.

"Such a gentleman. Now if I man ask you to get up from the floor. You will cause a scene."

I reached the two of them just as the man stood up. I got the sudden want to flee. Not only was he much taller than me, his presence was quite large too, nearly filling up the whole building. I felt like I was standing face to face with the dragon again. I felt my tail go stiff and my ears press down against my head under my hood.

The man's face was completely shrouded by his hood, and I couldn't see any detail of his face in the dim light, but I could tell he was looking down at me. "Yes?" He asked.

I found myself fidgeting with the sleeves of my robes. "I…well…its just…um…" I was to nervous to speak. Both the hooded man and the woman were staring at me.

The woman smiled sweetly. "Looks like the child wants to talk to you. I will leave you two alone then." She walked by me, placing a hand on my head as she went. She froze and snapped her hand from my head, looking at me with wide eyes. I felt my blood run cold. She felt them. My ears. I was unsure how she would react, but instead of doing anything, she just shook her head and kept walking.

"What is it kid?" The man asked again. His tone was much different towards me now that the woman was gone.

I straightened my body and shoved my hands down to my sides. "I wanted to thank you for saving the town, sir!" I said this quite aggressively, hoping that the hero would not sense the fear behind my voice.

The man was silent for a moment, and I began to fear that I had insulted him in some way. Then he tilted his head back and let out a hearty laugh. "No need to be so formal, kid. I'm not much older than you." The man pulled down his hood, revealing his face.

I could see right away that he was a wood elf. I knew this from his tan skin and pointed ears. He had black hair that was slicked back and eyes that were as dark as the night sky. He had war paint on his face too, two red stripes that went down from either eye, past his squared jaw line, and down into his robes.

It was true what he had said. He wasn't much older than me at all. His face was lacked any wrinkles at all and shown no sign of age anywhere on it.

"Now is that all you wanted to say?" The man asked, tilting his head a bit and smiling in a way that would make any woman blush. It shocked me how much my perception of this man changed in a spit second. I was so intimidated by him, so afraid of him. And now, he seemed like just another kid, like a friend that I could talk to about anything.

"N-no…it isn't…" I looked into the man's dark eyes, getting as ready as I could for the rejection that was sure to come. "I want you to take me with you!"

"Take me with you…" the man repeated under his breath, looking a little confused by the sentence. "You mean to Riverwood? That is where I am going next."

"No, I mean everywhere. Across all of Skyrim. I want to kill dragons with you! And sa-" I was cut off when the man slapped a hand to my mouth. I looked up at him and he had a deadpan expression on his face.

"Lets go talk in private. My room is that way." The man motioned with his free hand to a slightly ajar door on my right.

I followed him into the room, wondering if maybe I struck some sort of nerve. When I walked into the room, the man closed the door behind me, and suddenly that large intimidating presence was back again, filling the room. I gulped and turned around.

"Do you have any idea what you just asked me?" The man asked. His eyebrows were slanting over his dark eyes, giving him a deadly expression.

"I…I asked if I c-could adventure with y-you…" I started to stutter a little out of fear.

"Kid, I don't know you. And you don't even know me! Besides, I know there is something under that hood that you are hiding, and what ever it is, it will most likely slow me down and get you killed." The man shook his head. "Besides, this is more than just an 'adventure'. The fate of Skyrim…depends on this…"

"And I want to help!" I took a step forward and placed a hand on my chest. "…in any way I can."

"Show me what you are hiding, and I might consider it," the man crossed his arms, a small smile on his face as if he expected me not to show him. But if I were to travel with this man, he would figure out sooner or later.

I ripped my hood off my head with the most serious expression on my face that I could muster. "My name is Azalengo de Felici, and I am half Nord half Khajiit."

The man looked at me with wide eyes, then a wide smile spread across his face. He started laughing. I didn't know whether to be angry or relieved. "That's it?" He asked, still chuckling a bit. "That's _all_?"

"W-what's that mean?!" I grew red in the face.

"Nothing, nothing." The man waved a hand in front of his face. He then held his hand out to me. "It is nice to meet you, Azalengo. My name is Eli."

I was a little hesitant, but put my hand out and shook his. "So…will you let me come with you?"

Eli closed his eyes and thought for a minute. Finally he opened them. "I have a few questions first."

"O-okay…" I was a little worried, for what could he possibly want to ask.

"First off, can you fight?"

"Um…not very well."

Eli's expression became serious again.

"Oh! But I can use a bow and arrow, and I am a really quick learner! So if you were to teach me I could pick it up quickly." I spoke fast, hoping I had redeemed myself before it was too late.

"Alright. You do know you may die, right?"

"Yes, but I think that is a chance I am willing to take. I think that even if I were to die a month from now, the adventures that I would have leading up to that point would make dying worth it."

Eli smiled and shook his head. "Such a kid," he muttered to himself. "Why do you want to 'adventure' so badly?"

"Well…if I were to tell you that, I would practically be telling you my whole life story…" I shuffled a little.

"We have time." Eli crossed his arms.

So I told him all about my life, starting where my father left before I was born, going through all the years I was cooped up with only books and my mother to keep me company, and ending with my search for Eli.

"Hmm…" Eli scratched the back of his neck, thinking. "Well it seems like a decent enough reason. But wouldn't your mother miss you?"

I looked down at my feet. "She was only ever worried about her reputation being soiled by my face. If I were out of her hair, it would be better for both of us."

"And you do know that if I were to take you with me, you would not be able to bring anything with you except the clothes on your back?"

I was a little taken aback, not knowing that. But it did make sense. There was nothing I needed to bring with me anyway. "I am aware of that now, and it still does not change the face that I want to come with you."

Eli closed his eyes and leaned back against the door. "Well," he started, without opening his eyes, "If you want to go out and adventure, I'm not going to stop you."

The smile on my face morphed into a frown. Oh no. He was going to turn my request down. Was it something I said? Was it because I was half Khajiit?

"But," Eli opened his eyes and looked at me, "I would much rather you go out with someone who can protect you and teach you." Eli smiled. "Welcome to the team."

I could barely retain my happiness. "My gods!" I leaped forward and hugged Eli, something he didn't seem very comfortable with. "Thank you a thousand times over!"

Eli awkwardly patted my head. "You're welcome kid. Now would you please let go of me so we can leave."

"Leave? Already? But it is still dark out."

"The last time you checked it was. But my senses tell me the sun is about to rise, which is a sign for me to start moving again. Ready?"

I gulped. This was it. This was the turning point in my life. This was where everything starts. This is where my adventure begins.


End file.
